


Auxiliary

by neverwinter (KingPreussen)



Series: it takes a village [16]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Character Study, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 06:08:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14037855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/neverwinter
Summary: Angus dropped his backpack in his bedroom, passing by the bathroom on his way. Warm, fragrant air wafted out at him from under the door and he saw candlelight flickering in the gap rather than the harsh fluorescent overhead light.---It's less that Taako is raising Angus, and more that they're helping each other.





	Auxiliary

**Author's Note:**

> i posted this because i like the idea of it. im not so sure about my execution
> 
> sorry for not posting in this series for a while. im very depressed right now so im mostly consuming instead of creating...

Angus typed in the code for the outside keypad of the apartment building with a flat hand like Taako taught him, careful not to be obvious about which numbers he was pressing, and then turned to wave at Killian. "Thank you, ma'am!" he called back to her.

"No problem, kiddo!" Killian replied out of her window. Most of the rest of Angus' family would have insisted on walking him up to his apartment but Killian was much less likely to hover. "Tell Taako hi for me!" she added. Angus nodded rapidly and Killian pulled away from the curb. He watched until her bright yellow sports car rounded the next corner before heading inside, making sure the outside door closed fully behind him. Then he adjusted his backpack over his shoulders and ran up the stairs two at a time.

He opened his apartment door to low, ambient music and darkness. Angus sighed to himself; that meant Taako was in the bath. Angus locked up behind himself and shuffled his shoes off at the door, thinking hard about what he could do to help Taako feel better.

Lup liked to joke her brother was half-Siren, on their mother's side. Whenever he was upset, Taako would run a bath for himself, dump in all manner of potions and oils, and soak for hours. Usually that also meant take-out for dinner that Angus ordered by himself and the rest of the night spent under blankets in front of the television.

Angus bit his lip in private embarrassment at the memory of his first "Taako's upset what do I do?" experience. He was a few months from his seventh birthday, still getting used to being himself at home rather than putting up a quiet and obedient front. Taako brought him home from school in tense silence, and Angus assumed he was in trouble for something, so he didn't ask any questions. Taako had barely waited for Angus to follow him upstairs before he was in the bathroom, knocking glass and crystal bottles around and running the hot water full blast.

Taako habitually started dinner as soon as the two returned home so that it was done by the time they were ready to sit down together. That day, after Taako slammed the bathroom door and didn't open it for a few hours, Angus decided to take dinner into his own hands. He used a paper menu he found in a drawer in the kitchen to call a nearby pizza place, paid the delivery driver with some of the emergency money he kept in his backpack, and left the pizza on the dining room table while he went and told Taako dinner was ready.

The Elf did not take Angus' actions the way he thought he would. "I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from the stove," Taako had practically snarled, eyes flashing. Not even the fact that he had a large towel wrapped around his chest and was covered in glitter cut the anger rolling off him in waves. And, having held up so well until then, Angus promptly burst into tears. 

The rest of the evening was spent with Taako apologizing and hugging Angus so much _he_ ended up with most of the glitter on him by the end of the night. Taako explained that he was upset about something at work, but that gave him no excuse to take it out on Angus, and he was near tears himself by the time they were finished with dinner. 

Now Angus had blanket permission to order whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, and Taako would eat later. They even had a piggy bank with take-out money in the kitchen that Taako spelled to reform whenever it was smashed to get the money out.

Angus dropped his backpack in his bedroom, passing by the bathroom on his way. Warm, fragrant air wafted out at him from under the door and he saw candlelight flickering in the gap rather than the harsh fluorescent overhead light.

Taako himself didn't seem to notice Angus made it back from Killian and Carey's house. Angus thought for a moment, and then opened his desk drawer, taking out a notepad of blank paper. He scribbled a note to Taako, signed it with his name out of habit, and slipped it under the door on his way back to the front rooms. 

Angus went through their collection of menus until he found Taako's favorite traditional Elvish place. He fumbled his cell phone out of his hoodie pocket and dialed the number.

" _Hinterlands, how may I help you?_ " a familiar, high-pitched voice asked.

"Hi Miss Ren," Angus replied.

" _Oh, hi Angus! I'll send the usual right over._ " Ren sounded harried before, but her tone got more accommodating when she heard Angus' voice. " _You're a great kid for doing this._ "

Angus couldn’t help but smile a little, his face heating. "Thank you, Miss Ren. I'll be ready when you are." He hung up and left his phone on the kitchen table, already making his way to Taako's bedroom to grab an armful of pillows. Before the food came he would set up a nice nest on the couch in front of the television, complete with knitted blankets.

By the time Angus had the living room set up to his liking, he heard the buzzer to the front door. He was too short to reach the intercom so he cast Mage Hand, privately pleased when it was strong enough to hold down the button without effort. "Yes?" he asked without giving his name.

" _It's Ren, Angus. You know ol' Taako likes for me to come out myself if I can._ " Angus rang her up without hesitation.

He was standing at the door when she arrived, smiling widely. Ren always had the right foods to make Taako feel more like himself when he couldn't cook his own. She handed him the full paper bag and ruffled his curls. "Let Taako know I hope he feels better soon, alright?"

Angus nodded. "I will." He paused, and then said sheepishly, "I have the money in the kitchen, if I can just--"

Ren waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Angus, Taako knows he doesn't have to pay me. Have a good night!" She was off before he had a chance to insist. Angus closed and locked the door behind her.

By then it was nearing eight pm. Angus wasn't sure how long Taako had been in the bath, but it was probably more than a few hours and Angus was eager to sit with him in their new nest. He set out plates and silverware on the coffee table and then went to knock on the bathroom door.


End file.
